


Prank Reality

by andathousandyearsmore, Call_Me_Kayyyyy (Cheeky9274)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crack, Humor, M/M, Social Media
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23096704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andathousandyearsmore/pseuds/andathousandyearsmore, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheeky9274/pseuds/Call_Me_Kayyyyy
Summary: The Barbershop Quarter enter a reality prank show. Hijinks ensue.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> andathousandyearsmore: Hi! This fic is part of the Stucky Blind Date and you should definitely check it out for more amazing fics with interesting premises. 
> 
> Anyway, now that the promo is done, here’s a friendly reminder to please enable the little feature up top that allows for a work skin to be applied, because this fic is 10x cooler with it than without it. It should already be activated, but if you see a button hovering next to the download button that says ‘Enable Creator’s Style’ then go ahead and click it. If you cannot, all is well, but I am interested in how certain parts of this fic look without it. 
> 
> Before I let you continue any further, be advised that this is a prank-based story. ;) See you on the other side! — Em

If anything, Steve should have learned his mistake about nodding along to Natasha whenever she asked him something and he was too tired or focused on layouts. There was the _first_ Burning Bar Incident, where Natasha had signed the two of them up for a drinking competition, intending to win and earn unlimited drinks for the next two years. Steve had a criminally fast metabolism, but thinking about that night still made his throat burn from the feeling of excess vodka. There had been the Red Resume Incident, where Natasha had submitted his resume to Stark Industries in red paper. To this day, he wasn’t quite sure if it was the red paper or the actual submitting of the resume that he was more irked about. There was also the Exes and Eggs Incident, and the Clam Chowder Incident and dozens of other cleverly alliterative moments in Steve’s life he should have just walked away. 

Okay, so maybe he had met Clint from the Burning Bar Incident—or more specifically, Natasha met a cute bar owner who was a disaster of a human being and decided that she could let herself become fond of him—and now he had Tony Stark as both a boss and ride-or-die friend. Still, he had enough disasters in his life that he really didn’t need to go around adding any more, in the form of people or unfortunate events. Natasha was put together enough that no one suspected she was a disaster, but she secretly loved them, if only because they made her calm, cool demeanor look better. 

Why else would she agree to buy a house with him? Steve knew he was a hot mess who looked put together for the two seconds it took someone to know him. Well, maybe Sam and Bucky were buffers for his complete failure at being a responsible-ish adult, since the four of them bought the place together, but the sentiment still stood. Besides, Bucky was only slightly less of a mess than him, usually. And Sam could be persuaded to drop his Reasonable Adult act. It was more of a spectrum of disasterness, really. Most days, it was fixed, but there were some days that threw the scale in wack. 

Like today, for example. Today, when Steve was staring at their mail in horror. This reeked of Natasha. For one thing, the black envelope in his hands was of expensive quality and its return address was from a place Steve knew was just rich. Not as rich as Tony, but a different kind of wealth. It was wealth traded in fame and stardom, in views and clicks, in bloated numbers and unreleased statistics. But also, they were rich. The red accents on the envelope and the red logo gave that away.

“Natasha!” he yelled, knowing she could hear him from upstairs. There was no answer, even though her room was closest to the stairs and sound traveled if it was loud enough. In fact, he was yelling loud enough that the entire upper floor could hear. So, she was probably waiting to see what he was yelling about, which meant that there had to be more than one scheme in her mind. Steve had finally gotten glitter out of everything from her previous scheme. “Natasha fucking Romanoff, what the fuck is this?! Why the fuck is Netflix sending us snail mail?” 

Her door opened, the faintest sound of piano music floating downstairs. 

She came down the stairs, actually making a faint sound then—Natasha only did that when she was excited. Steve felt the familiar trappings of a scheme, and groaned. There was no way he was letting himself fall victim to a scheme again, not so soon. Opening the envelope carefully, she started reading it, holding her other hand out as if to silence Steve before he even said anything. Damn Natasha and her poker face that gave nothing away as to what even the nature of the news was. What the hell did Netflix want with them? 

Sam came down not even a minute after she did, shooting Steve a curious look and gesturing to Natasha, like he wanted to know what was happening this time. But Sam’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Netflix’s logo, like he knew something Steve didn’t. Natasha angled the letter so that Sam could read it from behind him. She tossed the empty envelope back at Steve, as if he had any use for it. 

Gkancing at the address and name on it, he noticed it was addressed to “Natasha Romanoff and her friends.” Any chance of staying out of Netflix’s business with Natasha just crashed. Steve sighed and thought of a time when Netflix’s envelopes were red and contained DVDs or CDs. Then, he knew what business Netflix had with him.

Bucky came down too, but unlike Sam, didn’t bother keeping quiet. “You’re kidding me,” he flatly said, recognizing the envelope for what it was when he glanced at Steve. Bucky rolled his eyes as Natasha passed it over to him, expecting him to read the entire thing. Much to her displeasure, Bucky did, and instead pulled out his phone to eagerly text someone. “They actually chose us? Did you bribe someone?” 

Natasha shot him a dirty look and elbowed him, barely missing Sam in the process. But knowing Natasha, that was deliberate. All her movements were deliberate. 

“Anyone want to start talking?” Steve asked, calmly, waving the envelope in the air and using it to gesture towards the letter. “Because it seems like all three of you are keeping something from me and the last time this happened... I _still_ have nightmares from that date with the mayor’s daugh—” 

His phone started ringing, blasting the wonderful tune of _Barbie Girl_ even though Steve could have sworn that he muted his phone and got rid of the music. Of course, trivial things like that weren’t about to stop Tony, who found it amusing to hack into Steve’s phone every time he wanted to call Steve. As if Steve wouldn’t even pick up in the first place. Like other people, Steve also had nightmares about what happened if he didn’t pick up his boss’s call, even if his nightmares ran in a completely different vein. 

“No, before you ask, I had nothing to do with this, but I wholeheartedly support you becoming a reality TV star and—actually, hold that thought. The poor, American masses. They’re not prepared to see your tight smediums. Someone’s going to really get a heart attack, maybe you should look into something that leaves you free from being sued. And maybe invest in shirts that fit you, except don’t! Everyone loves your shirts here. Though maybe productivity would increase—nope, fuck that. Productivity probably increases every time people get work done just to turn it in and show it to you. I swear, design this year had really outdone itself, maybe I should look into getting hot blonds for all my—” 

“Tony,” Steve interrupted, usually frighteningly good at parsing though the billionaire’s words. He hadn’t been this confused by Tony’s rambling since the start of his career with him. Figuring that working backwards from Tony’s ramble was the best place to start, especially since the end made more sense than the beginning, he sighed. “First of all, that’s a horrible idea and a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.” 

Tony gasped on the other end, like he was shocked. Steve rolled his eyes and then suspiciously eyed the three people who were watching him with bated breath. Things clicked together now, from the secrecy to the Netflix letter to Tony’s call and Bucky’s text. For once, Steve wished that he hadn’t pieced it together, because _reality_ was starting to suck. Pun fully intended. 

“Why Steve,” Tony said, offended and proving the fact that he hadn’t slept in a while. Steve checked the clock and did the math: if he could get everyone to admit what was happening within the next hour, he could drive to Stark Tower, force Tony to sleep, and narrowly miss rush hour on both ends. “I cannot believe you think I would ever do—” 

“I’m pretty sure that Pepper would disagree and I’m also pretty sure that she thought I was a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen,” Steve said, before it hit him that there was a strike happening near Stark Tower that would make traffic unbearable, and the streets far too crowded. Thankfully the strike wasn’t _at_ Stark Tower, or he wouldn’t even have a chance of making it there anytime soon. And the idiots still watching him wouldn’t save him dinner if he got late, especially since it was his turn to cook tonight and they’d order takeout in his absence.

“Lucky for you,” Steve continued, considering his options, frowning at how dismal they were. “I haven’t filed anything yet. Second of all, Design is doing so much better ever since I started because that also happened to be the year you decided to overhaul half of the departments and they’ve all been doing better since. Also, my shirts fit just fine, thank you very much. Lastly, and you better not hang up or I’m calling Pepper, _what_ reality TV show?” 

There was damning silence on the other end. 

“Tony,” Steve warned, before flicking his eyes to the envelope and looking back to Natasha murderously. “What reality TV show?” The question was really aimed at both the person on the phone and the people in front of him, all who suddenly couldn’t hear. He sighed, not for the first or last time today. “Does no one remember the mayor’s daughter? Look, that date was so bad that Angie realized she only liked women; I don’t think it gets any worse than that. And the mayor is still mad at me for ruining his dream of his daughter’s perfect future.” 

“I bailed you out of that one,” Tony said after a minute, like that mattered even a single bit right now. “He doesn’t hate you anymore. You’re welcome.” 

“You’re deflecting,” Steve said. “And not as nearly as well as you think. Really? Netflix?” 

Tony stayed silent again. “This is a trap,” he declared. “This is a trap, and I hate you for this because it is a trap.” But still he didn’t hang up. He was probably evaluating the odds of risking Pepper’s wrath. And in a move shockingly uncharacteristic of him, announced, “I’m going to bed.” And _then_ he hung up. 

Steve glared at his friends, setting his phone down. “So,” he asked slowly. “What reality TV show?” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Why Is Netflix’s _Prank_ _Reality_ Renewed? **

It only feels like last week since the explosive finale of the reality show’s first season, but not in a good way. For one, the finale had been lackluster, relying on cheap tricks and seemingly illegal fireworks between the show’s stars trying to one-up each other. Maybe it could have been funny, if not for the fact that the stars were basically college frat bros trying to relive those very same college days. The entire season was awful, mainly because the humor of friends pranking each other quickly wore off within the first episode. Seriously, between the seven of them—all with comically ‘straight white male’ names—there wasn’t a single innovative prank. It’s still a mystery, honestly, that the exaggerated banter didn’t veer into overtly misogynistic and gross comments. 

Or maybe it was all edited out, along with any potential. 

What a shame, honestly, since the reality show had so much potential with its idea. A show focused around a group of people pranking each other for three months in an amazing house financed by Netflix? It was a good idea, especially by turning it into a reality show with unscripted pranks. Someone at Netflix needs to fire a casting director, because those seven idiots ruined the entire premise. I’m glad I only watched the first episode and the last in full; watching all of the episodes sounds like a recipe for torture.

My fellow blog co-author, on the other hand, watched all _**twelve**_ episodes like the unfeeling, stone-cold badass they are. I’m not quite sure how they managed, but all the ice cream in the apartment did vanish, so I’m guessing they pulled themselves into a hallucinatory state of being with ice cream. They are absolutely commendable for doing that, as are any of you that actually stuck around for the full thing. Honestly, if I didn’t write blog reviews, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the show after the first five minutes of watching in horror. Five minutes was all it took for me to shudder. 

Somewhere, a miracle has been performed to convince a Netflix executive to keep the show, unless more people actually deigned to watch the show. If not, here’s hoping that season two’s cast has much more luck. They’ll need it to win back everyone’s hearts and minds. Especially mine. 

* * *

_**Prank** _ **_Reality_ **

PG-13 | 1 hr | Comedy, Reality-TV | TV Series (2020– ) | 4.7/10 | Netflix

A group of friends spend twelve weeks pranking each other in a shared house in teams or as individuals. Each episode features a week’s worth of both elaborate and harmless pranks, as well as reaction shots. While they come up with better ways to turn hair pink or glue shoes to the floor, however, they might just end up learning a lot more about each other. At the end of this, one thing’s for sure: someone’s walking away with bragging rights. 

* * *

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> Here’s a first look at season two of Prank Reality! 

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> Oops. We’ve been pranked (and hacked) here. You’ll meet the new stars soon enough. In the meanwhile, we might have to fire them and find new pranksters in their place. Who’s up for it? 

**We Are Netflix ✓** @WeAreNetflix

> @netflix  Uhh, there’s a few reasons you might want to keep them around. Just sayin’ 

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> @WeAreNetflix ... Hmm, you might be right. 

**Prank Reality ✓** @prankreality

> Are we talking about *****’s abs or *** ***? 

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> @prankreality  Who... who gave you the password??!!???

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> Abs. Is there anyway a strategically split drink can be part of a prank? 

**Prank Reality ✓** @prankreality

> Done. There’s a couple of *****’s ugly and threadbare enough that they deserve to be burned. 🔥 🔥 🔥 @netflix 

**FDNY ✓** @FDNY

> Here’s a reminder on how to prevent house fires. We’re thinking that @prankreality might need it. 

**Prank Reality ✓** @prankreality

> Does it help if I said that one of us is a volunteer firefighter? @FDNY 

**FDNY ✓** @FDNY

> We expect better from our own. 

**Netflix US ✓** @netflix

> Wait... @prankreality , is ***** a volunteer firefighter? 

**Prank Reality ✓** @prankreality

> Both ***** and ***** are. Don’t worry though, they won’t be the ones setting them. ;)

**Prank Reality ✓** @prankreality 

> And for everyone complaining about the asterisks, you’re just going to have to watch the show to find out! But trust me, if *****’s abs don’t do it for you, maybe ***’s will. Or mine. Or *****’s. We’re all competitive. 

* * *

**Netflix’s _Prank Reality_ Announces New Twist**

Apparently you can teach an old dog new tricks. In this case, literally, considering that the second season seems to have better pranks even before it has started. To be honest, the first season sucked and the show should have never been renewed. You can read all about that here and my surprise over its renewal [here](section#1). But from the moment that the still unknown cast hijacked the show’s Twitter, I am very glad that Netflix did. 

Not even because of [the sheer number of abs that were mentioned](section#2) and promised to us by the cast via their Twitter. 

Adding to the reality element of the show, it seems that they’re choosing to not pre-record the show and upload it all at the same time like they did the last time. Well, minus that bizarre finale, which Netflix posted a week after it posted the other eleven episodes, apparently hoping to draw more publicity and anticipation. But enough about the first season. Netflix is desperately trying to put that past them, and for the sake of this new cast, let’s do just that. 

Normally, for most of their shows, Netflix drops all episodes at the same time. And yes, this is a reality TV show, vaguely, which implies a weekly installation. But this is Netflix that we’re talking about, coupled with the fact that most (all) shows pre-record anyway. Maybe Big Brother doesn’t. 

So the fact that they’re vowing to record as the week progresses and drop episodes every Monday morning—allowing weekend humor and pranks to happen with fast editing—is impressive. What’s more impressive is the fact that they're also letting the audience participate and get involved like a live studio audience. The cast has already pledged to make full use of their social media to tease the week out before episodes drop, and Netflix has confirmed that the cast will be on the streets, possibly while also being recorded. 

Talk about good strategy and publicity. _Prank Reality_ ’s about to get live numbers and interest as the twelve weeks go on. They’re about to get live interaction and comments, as well as a storm of fame. It’s clever on behalf of Netflix. They really are trying, this time around.

I, for one, cannot wait for this season to come out. At least can we find out who we’re about to be seeing for the next three months. I desperately want to find out who’s been running the Twitter, since there’s no doubt that it’s just one person. Whoever they are, _they get it_. 

* * *

_**Trending** on Twitter_

  1. _#PrankReality_
  2. _#CincoDeMayo_
  3. _#ABetterSequel_
  4. _#ShahRukhKhan_
  5. _#PR2_
  6. _#IGotDumpedBecause_
  7. _#MayMakesMeHappy_
  8. _#Netflix_
  9. _#OurFriendSteve_
  10. _#Abs_




	3. Chapter 3

_#1 on Trending_ • S2 Prank Reality Trailer 

_A woman with strikingly red hair sits on a couch between two men. The man on the left is dressed in a red henley with all the buttons undone and jeans, neither of which hide the fact that he has a metal arm for a left arm. He has brown hair tied back in a skillful bun and blue-grey eyes that are smizing right at the camera. The man on the right is dressed in a grey shirt with longer sleeves and jeans as well, though his jeans are lighter than the man on the left’s. He has a cute gap-toothed smile and is rolling his eyes at the woman as the video starts._

_“Hi,” the woman says, her green eyes boring straight at the camera in a manner that’s captivating and yet slightly unsettling. She also seems to have no accent. “I’m Natasha Romanoff and next to me are James Barnes and Sam Wilson. And yes, we know there have to be at least four people, which brings me to why we’re doing this.”_

_She pauses to smirk, before drawing out a small remote and pressing a little button. The camera automatically turns to the left, showing off part of the house’s living room. It eventually stops at a wall covered in photos and beautiful illustrations or paintings. The primary subjects of the photos are the three people on the sofa, plus a tall blond. Intentionally or not, the camera focuses in on a photo taken at the beach, where the blond is shirtless and his back is to the camera. In the photo, a tall sand sculpture stands right next to him, obviously meant to mimic his pose from behind, though failing to capture the intensity of the blond’s back muscles. Or even his legs._

_“Meet Steve,” the woman, Natasha, says. She is smug; the camera’s attention on the beach photograph is shaping up to be much more deliberate now. “He’s much more annoying and stubborn than he is beautiful, which meant that when he forgot about his own birthday party, I still haven’t forgiven him.”_

_As she speaks, the camera slowly rotates back to the three people sitting on the sofa._

_“Wait, that’s what this is about?” the man on the right, Sam, asks. He sounds surprised, sitting up much straighter. The woman shrugs, unrepentant. “I thought it was about when he decided to play Yahtzee in the house with... his friend.”_

_“The party was the first of many straws,” she amends, much to the amusement of the man on the left, James. He still hasn’t said anything, disinterested in the reasons why. James looks like he’s willing to prank his friend Steve for no reason at all. But he looks amused at Natasha’s remarks, glancing a few times at the wall of photos._

_“We’re going to go on this show to prank him,” he bluntly says before anyone else can. There’s a vaguely present Brooklyn accent in his drawl. “Our friend Steve’s gotten away with too much lately.”_

_As James speaks, Sam and Natasha share a knowing look._

_“I’m starting to think that Steve’s done something else stupid that I don’t know about,” Sam accuses, eyeing James right after with suspicion. “He’s like this.”_

_“And obviously,” Natasha says sweepingly. “Revenge is the best option.”_

_The video cuts out, though that is very clearly not the full video for whatever that originally was._

___________

COMMENTS

##### Netflix

Tune in to see just what _really_ persuaded our pranksters. 

##### teddy altman

THIS IS ACTUALLY HILARIOUS THAT’S MY ENGINEERING FOR DUMMIES PROFESSOR RIGHT THERE AND HE’S SUCH A DEADPAN GUY. AND EVERYONE KNOWS STEVE IF YOU KNOW DR. BARNES. CAN CONFIRM THAT HE LOOKS BETTER IN REAL LIFE. STEVE’S THE NICEST GUY EVER THOUGH... WHAT DID HE DO??

##### Kate *Bi*shop

Knowing Steve, it’s got to have been something dumb. He’s a mess. A hot mess. 

##### Peter Parker picked a peck of what?

maybe mr. stark bribed them all to prank steve with the show. he’s been trying to force steve to take a vacation.

##### 💫 Kamala Khan 💫 

That could be true. And Natasha’s scary/interesting enough that they actually got it. 

##### Wiccan2005

is no one going to point out the obvious

we’re going to have twelve weeks of dr. barnes getting his ass handed to him

we’re finally going to learn something abt him w/o steve telling us

##### America FUCK YEAH

The betting pools are about to see some ACTION.

##### THOR ⚡️

Yahtzee? I did not know that there was a name for that most marvelous encounter! 

##### L. F.

thor you absolute bumbering idiot. 

##### darcymaxinelewis

Why is this my life? As much as I love that mental picture, I need to look Jane in the eye tomorrow. 

##### L. F.

darcy, why? at least i liked jane. 


	4. Chapter 4

[ _image description: A blond man is sleeping on the sofa peacefully, his face serene and his hands behind his head, almost like he was lying on a hammock. One leg is dangling off the sofa delicately, touching the floor almost as if it is a pool and he is trying to test the waters. There is a faint smile on his face, but he is very clearly asleep and unaware of his surroundings. A few rays of sun are sweeping over part of his face and hair, highlighting his pale skin and golden hair to be almost angelic. Standing over the back of the sofa is a man with brown hair tied delicately back with two braids that are slightly visible. He is smirking and holding up a garishly red and gold foghorn with his metal hand. There is a small cut alongside his cheekbone, a sharp red against his lightly-tanned face. The man is looking over to a woman with wavy copper red hair. She is looking at the blond with a murderous expression on her face, but also one of victory. Standing by the blond’s left foot as it lies on the other armrest of the sofa, she is holding a bright pink and green shirt with a design not caught by the camera. In the middle of the shot, obscuring part of the blond’s legs and the table in front of the sofa, is the photographer’s right hand with four fingers up, positioned as if they were a countdown. There is a small scar on the man’s pointer finger, though it is barely noticeable with how the lighting and the man’s dark skin cover it up well._ ]

 **prankreality** steve has been crying about layouts and the principles of design for the past week. apparently he’s been getting nightmares. one more can’t hurt, right? 

**thetonystark** Didn’t Steve burn that shirt? Do NOT break him.

> **pepperpotts** @thetonystark Steve would never. Unlike some people, he doesn’t actually go around setting things on fire. 
> 
> **thetonystark** @thetonystark No??
> 
> **natasharomanova** @thetonystark Let’s just say that Steve _thought_ he burned that shirt.
> 
> **stevengrogers** @thetonystark There’s a difference between thinking that *I* burned it and thinking that *it* was burned. 
> 
> **j.b.barnes** @thetonystark Sure thing, punk.
> 
> **stevengrogers** @thetonystark  And to think I was having such a good dream, too. ;(

**c** **olonel_caroldanvers** I’m surprised he was sleeping without waking up to your footsteps.

> **stevengrogers** @colonel_caroldanvers  I was very tired. 🤷♂️ 
> 
> **c** **olonel_caroldanvers** @colonel_caroldanvers Disappointed, Rogers. 
> 
> **pilot.maria.rambeau** @colonel_caroldanvers  Step up your game, Rogers.

**the_tandy_bowen** i bet he was hoping for an uninterrupted nap. theyre sacred, y'all

> **ty.rone.johnson.18** @the_tandy_bowen  New fear: naps being uninterrupted with a foghorn. 


End file.
